It is known to use dryers for drying materials used in an asphalt plant adapted to produce hot mix asphalt. Conventional asphalt plant dryers, however, suffer from several disadvantages. For example, conventional asphalt plant dryer performance is limited by exhaust gas temperature. More particularly, if the dryer exhaust gas is excessively hot, then the bags in the baghouse will be damaged. If, on the other hand, the dryer exhaust gas is excessively cold, mud will accumulate in the feed end of a counter flow dryer, the exhaust ductwork and the baghouse. Conventional asphalt plant dryers are not adapted to automatically control the temperature of dryer exhaust gas. Further, conventional asphalt plant dryers must be shut down in order to adjust the temperature of the dryer exhaust gas. Still further, conventional asphalt plant dryers also do not maximize fuel efficiency.
It would be desirable, therefore, if an apparatus and method for a dryer system could be provided that would not be limited by exhaust gas temperature. It would also be desirable if such a dryer system could be provided that would be adapted to automatically control the temperature of dryer exhaust gas. It would be further desirable if such a dryer system could be provided that would allow for dryer exhaust gas temperature adjustment without shutting down the dryer. It would be still further desirable if such a dryer system could be provided that would maximize fuel efficiency.